If you are wondering how you plan for a successful Utah national parks road trip we have your itinerary right here. You can download the guide and read on for a more detailed description of how to get the most out of Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks.
Anyone planning to see more than two parks over the course of a year should plan to purchase the American the Beautiful pass. The list of federal recreation sites the pass covers is impressive and makes it worth your money. You can purchase through the USGS store or through REI.
Detailed Guides to Utah National Parks: Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park
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How many days should you spend to visit each national park in Utah?
We’ve given you the highlights of each national park below. Our detailed guides help you get the most out of each park in just one day. These are usually very active days that start early and end at sunset so you and your tribe get the most out of every inch of the parks. You can easily extend your trip if you have more time with our suggested extensions to each itinerary.
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Arches National Park
Cost: $30 vehicle entrance fee
Top Experiences: Hiking to the Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch and the Double Arch are experiences that make this park a stand out among the Utah national parks.
See our detailed itinerary to get the most out of your visit.
Canyonlands National Park
Cost: $10 vehicle entrance fee
Top Experiences: You have to see the view from Grand View Point and the Green River Overlook; hike to Mesa Arch; consider driving off-road if you have a vehicle that can handle it
Capitol Reef National Park
Cost: $20 vehicle entrance fee
Top Experiences: hike Capitol Gorge, eat pie at the Gifford Homestead, and see the petroglyphs on Hwy 24. Hike to Hickman Bridge and Cassidy Arch.
See our detailed itinerary to get the most out of your visit to this not to be missed park.
Bryce National Park
Cost: $35 vehicle entrance fee
Top Experiences: get there early to enjoy the full length of the scenic drive, catch the sunrise at a spot along Rim Trail, hike Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trails.
See our detailed itinerary to get the most out of your visit.
Zion National Park
Cost: $35 vehicle entrance fee
Top Experiences: hike The Narrows, Emerald Pools Trail, enjoy the view from Observation Point.
See our detailed itinerary and our post on what to know before you go as you plan your trip.
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Don’t compare – just enjoy it all
Inevitably people ask, which is better Zion or Bryce? Or they might try to get you to choose which is more beautiful, Arches or Zion? Don’t get sucked into that game my friend. Instead, return a question with a question: Why choose when you can have it all?
With detailed planning and these comprehensive guides, you can plan for an active week in Utah that gives you time at each of the Mighty 5.
A comparison I will humor though is the question about whether to try to combine a one-week trip in Utah with a dip down into Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. If you can extend your trip to two weeks then I would definitely encourage you to get into Arizona as well.
But if you only have six to eight days then stay in Utah. Instead of feeling like you’ve missed the Grand Canyon make sure to spend some time in Canyonlands National Park. This is a stunning landscape just 45 minutes from Moab, which many swear has more cliffside, vertigo-inducing views than even the Grand Canyon.
Mighty Five Utah Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Salt Lake City airport and drive 4 hrs to St. George
Day 2: Zion National Park for the day then drive to Bryce Canyon City
Day 3: Bryce Canyon National Park
Day 4: Enjoy the drive on Hwy 12 and visit Capitol Reef National Park; stay in Torrey
Day 5: Drive to Moab and enjoy Canyonlands National Park
Day 6: Arches National Park
Day 7: Drive 4 hrs to Salt Lake City for the flight home
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